Safety device for a liquid fuel burner



March 7, 1939.

w. M. SIMPSON 2 SAFETY DEVICE FOR A LIQUID FUEL BURNER Filed June 25, 1936 INVENTOR.

7 la ATTORNEY.

atente er. 2. i3

SAFETY DEVICE FOR A LIQUID FUEL BURNER Walter M. Simpson, Evansville, Ind, assignor to Servel, Ina, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 25, 1936, Serial No. 87,170

Claims.

My invention relates to liquid fuel burners, and has for its object the provision of an improved safety mechanism for' such burners.

The invention, together with the objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and of which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a burner associated with safety mechanism embodying my invention which is shown in section and taken on line l-I of Fig. 2; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. '1.

Referring to Fig. 1, a liquid fuel, such as kerosene, is delivered from a source of supply to an inlet 80 of casing II, and conducted from an outlet l2 of the casing through a valve l3 and conduit M to the burner well B5 of a burner it. A portion ll of the casing of valve l3 extends upwardly and provides a cylindrical passage within which is positioned a vertically movable needle valve member (not shown). To the upper end of the needle valve member is secured a weight H! which is effective to move the valve member to its closed position. To the lower end of the weight 98 is attached a lever l9 which is pivotally mounted on a bracket secured to the casing of valve it. A link 2! of fusible metal is fitted over the outer ends of lever l9 and bracket 20 to maintain the weight 58 in its upper position. In the 'event of faultyoperation of the burner it which causes an excessive rise in temperature, the link 2| melts and permits the weight l8 and needle valve member tomove downwardly and close the valve l3. The valve 03 may be restored to an open position by pressing the lever l9 downwardly and fitting a new fusible link over the ends of the lever l9 and bracket 20 to retain the weight it and needle valve member in their upper position. The valve 93 does not form a part of the present invention and for a complete disclosure thereof reference may be had to my application Serial No. 41,546, filed September 21, 1935.

In accordance with my'invention the casing or housing I l forms a chamber 9 within which is located a vertical sleeve 22 threadedly secured at its lower end to the bottom wall at the inlet II). A valve seat 23 is formed at the lower end of sleeve 22 above which are located openings 2% in the Wall of the sleeve.

To the upper-end of sleeve 22 is secured a bracket 25 having pivotally mounted thereon the arm 26 of a float 21. Therounded bifurcated outer ends 28 of arm 26 fit into the opposite sides of a reduced portion of a needle valve member '29 which is vertically movable in the sleeve 22. The float 2i and valve member 29 regulate the flow of liquid fuel into chamber 9 through the inlet H), the narrow passage formed in the lower end of sleeve 22, and openings 26 to maintain a predetermined liquid level in the housing in a well-known manner.

In order to prevent overflow of liquid from the burner should the float 271 not efiectively close the valve member 29 upon rise in liquid to a predetermined level, I provide a safety mechanism for automatically moving the valve member 29 to its closed position. This safety mechanism comprises a lever 30 which is pivotally mounted on the downwardly extending spaced arms 3| of an inverted U-shaped plate 32 which is located within the raised dome part 33 of cover 3 and secured to the latter. The lever 30 is provided with an upwardly extending arm 35 which pronected to the lower end of a downwardly extending arm 37 of the plate 32. A second lever 38 is pivotally mounted on the inverted U-shaped platel32 adjacent the arm 31, and an end thereof projects through an opening in the side wall of n The lever 38 is in the same vertical casing H. plane as the lever 30 and is provided with an offset portion 38' opposite the upwardly extending arm 35, as shown in Fig. 1. From the outer projected end of lever 38 is pivotally suspended a bucket 39 which is adapted to receive liquid from aspout 40 upon overflow from the chamber 9. I

The bucket 39 is positioned within a guard .fll which is curved in section and open at the side adjacent the casing H. The guard is provided with side arms 42 which are pivotally 'mounted at their upper ends on an enlarged portion 33' of the projected outer end of dome 33. The guard M, side arms t2, and projected outer end of domev 33 protect the parts of the safety 'mechanism located outside the casing H.

The lever 38 is provided with a projection which is notched at 43 to receive the free end of lever 30 and hold the latter in its upper position against the tension of spring 33. To maintain the projection 43 effective to hold the lever 30 in its upper position and also hold the outer projected end of lever 38 in its upper position when the bucket 39 is empty, 3, spring 44 is provided having one end connected to the short arm of lever 38 and the lower end connected to the arm 31.

In operation, assuming that the various parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, if the liquid should rise above the predetermined level in chamber 9, liquid will overfiow'through the spout 40 into the bucket 39. This will cause the bucket 39 to move the outer projected end of lever 38 downward against the tension of spring 44. Such movement of the lever 38 moves the projection 43 away from the end of lever 30 so that the latter is moved downward by the spring 36. The lever 30 in its downward movement contacts the upper end of valve member 29 and moves the valve member to its closed position to shut oif the supply of fuel into chamber 9 at the inlet Ill. The normal operation of the float 21 and valve member 29 is resumed by emptying the liquid fuel from the bucket 39. This is readily accomplished by moving the guard 4| about its pivotal connectionuntil the outer top edge thereof rests on the dome 33, and then tilting the bucket 39. When the bucket 39 is empty it is automatically raised to its upper position due to the tension of spring 44. Arm 35 is then moved to raisethe lever 30 so that its free end will again be held by the projection 43.

In view of the foregoing it will be understood that I have provided an improved safety mechanism for float operated valves. All the parts of the mechanismincluding the bucket 39 and guard 41 are supported by the cover 34 of the casing II to provide a simple structure easily assembled or serviced in the field.

While I have shown and described a single embodiment of my invention, such variations and modifications are contemplated as fall within the scope of my invention as pointed out in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety device for a liquid fuel burner comprising a valve housing provided with a plurality of openings and having an inlet for liquid fuel and an outlet for conducting the fuel to the burner, a valve member for controlling the inlet,

to said valve member for regulating the flow of fuel into said housing, a lever pivoted for verticalmovement within said housing and having an arm projecting through an opening in said housing, said lever upon downward movement to its lower position being operative to close said valve member, a spring connected to said lever to urge the latter to its lower position, a second lever pivoted within s'aidhousing for vertical movement and having one end thereof projecting through another of the openings in said housing,

a bucket suspended from the projecting end of said second lever adapted to receive liquidupon overfiow from said housing, said second lever being notched to receive a part of said first lever, a spring connected to said second lever to urge the projecting end thereof upward so that said notch effectively holds said first lever in its upper position, said notch moving away from and releasing said first lever to permit downward movement thereof'to close said valve member when the projecting end of said second lever moves downward against the tension of said sec- 0nd spring due to overflow of liquid fuel from said housing into said bucket.

2. A safety device for a liquid fuel burner comprising a valve housing having an opening and provided with a removable cover, said housing having an inlet for liquid fuel and an outlet for conducting the fuel to the burner, a valve member for controlling the inlet, a float within said housing operatively connected to said valve member for regulating the flow of fuel into said housing, a lever mounted on the inside of said cover and pivoted for vertical movement, the upper end of said valve member being in the path of movement of a part of said lever, a spring mounted on the inside of said cover and connected to said lever to urge the latter downward to move said valve member to its closedposition, a second lever mounted on the inside of said cover and pivoted for vertical movement and having one end thereof projecting through the opening in said housing. a bucket suspended from the projecting end of said second lever adapted to receive liquid upon overflow from said housing, said second lever being notched to receive an end of said first lever, a second spring mounted on the inside of said cover and connected to said second lever to urge the projecting end thereof upward so that said notch effectively holds said first lever in its upper position, said notchmoving away from and releasing said first lever when the projecting end of said second lever moves downward against the tension of said second spring due to overflow of fuel from said housing into said bucket.

8. A safety device for a liquid fuel burner comprising a valve housing provided with an opening and having an inlet for liquid fuel and an outlet for conducting the fuel to the burner, a removable cover for 'said housing provided with an opening, a valve member for controlling the inlet, a float within said housing operatively connected to said valve member for regulating the flow of fuel into said housing, a lever pivoted within said housing for verticalmovement, the

'upper end of said valve member being in the closed position, a second lever pivoted within said I housing and having one end thereof projecting through the opening in said housing, a bucket suspended from the projecting end of said second lever adapted to',receive liquid upon overflow from said housing,. said second lever being notched to receive a part of said. first lever, a second spring connected to said second lever to urge the projecting end thereof upward so that said notch effectively holds said first lever in its upper position, said notch moving away from and releasing said first lever when the projecting end of said second lever moves downward against the tension of said'second spring due to overflow of fuel from said housing into said bucket, and an arm connected to said first lever and having an end projecting throughthe opening in said cover for positioning said first lever in its upper position at, said notch against the tension of said first'spring.

4. A safety device for a liquid fuel burner comprising a valve housing provided with a removable cover, said housing having an opening exward to its normally closed position and upward from such normally closed position for normally controlling the inlet, a float within said housing operatively connected to said valve member for moving the latter during operation of the burner to regulate the flow of fuel into said housing, a lever pivoted within said housing for vertical movement and having one end thereof projecting through the opening in said housing,-a bucket suspended from the projecting end of said lever adapted to receive liquid upon overflow from said housing, and structure including said lever disposed within said housing so constructed and arranged that said valve member is caused to move downward to its normally closed position when the projecting end of said lever moves downward due to overflow of fuel from said housing into said bucket, said structure and said bucket being mounted on said cover and removable therewith as a unit.

5. A safety device for. a liquid fuel burner comprising a valve housing provided with an opening and having an inlet for liquid fuel and an outlet for conducting the fuel to the burner, a cover for said housing having an outwardly extending part adjacent the opening, a valve member for controlling the inlet, a float within said housing operatively connected to said valve member for regulating the flow of fuel into said housing, a lever pivoted within said housing for vertical movement, the upper end of said valve member being in the path of movement of a part of said lever, a spring connected to said lever to urge the latter downward to move said valve member to its closed position, a second lever pivoted within said housing for vertical movement and having one end thereof projecting through the opening in said housing, the projecting end of said second lever being protected by the outwardly extending part of said cover, a bucket suspended from the projecting end of said second lever adapted to receive liquid upon overflow from sald.housing, a guard for said bucket pivotally mounted on the outwardly extending part of said cover, said second lever being notched to receive an end of said first lever, a spring connected to said second lever to urge the projecting end thereof upward so that said notch effectively holds said first lever in its upper position, said notch moving away from and releasing said first lever when the projecting end of said second lever moves downward against the tension of said second spring due to overflow of fuel from said housing into said bucket.

6. A safety device for a liquid fuel burner comprising a valve housing having an opening and provided with a removable cover, said housing having an inlet for liquid fuel and an outlet for conducting the fuel to the burner, a movable valve member for normally controlling said inlet, a float within said housing operatively connected to said valve member for moving the latter during operation of the burner to regulate the flow of fuel into said housing, a lever pivoted within said housing and having one end thereof projecting through the opening in said housing, a bucket suspended from the projecting end of said lever and adapted to receive liquid upon overflow from said housing, and structure including said lever mounted on the inside of said cover and removable therewith and so constructed and arranged that, when said cover is in position on said housing said valve member is caused to move to its closed position when the projecting end of said lever moves due to overflow of fuel from said housing into said bucket.

7. A safety device for a liquid fuel burner comprising a valve housing provided with a removable cover, said housing having an inlet for liquid fuel and an outlet for conducting fuel to the burner, a movable valve member for normally controlling said inlet, a float within said housing operatively connected to said valve member for moving the latter during operation of the burner to regulate the flow of fuel into said housing, and structure mounted on the inside of said cover and removable therewith and so constructed and arranged that when said cover is in position on said housing it is in operative relation with said valve member for closing the latter upon abnormal rise in liquid in said housmg.

8. A safety device for a liquid fuel burner comprising a casing having a removable cover, said casing having an inlet and an outlet, a movable valve member for controlling said inlet, means responsive to level of liquid in said casing and operatively connected to said valve member for normally movingthe latter to regulate the flow of fuel into said casing, and structure mounted on the inside of said cover and removable therewith and so constructed and arranged that, when said cover is in position on said casing, it is operative to move said valve member to its closed position and shut off flow of liquid fuel into said casing upon abnormal rise of liquid therein.

9. A safety device for a liquid fuel burner comprising a casing having a removable cover, said casing having an inlet and an outlet, a movable valve member for controlling said inlet, means responsive to level of liquid in said casing and operatively connected to said valve member for normally moving the latter to regulate the flow of fuel into said casing, and structure mounted on said removable cover for shutting off flow of fuel into said casing upon abnormal rise of liquid therein, said structure being removable with said cover without disturbing said valve member and liquid level responsive means operatively connected thereto.

10. A safety device for a liquid fuel burner comprising a casing having a removable cover provided with an opening, said casing having an inlet and an outlet, a movable valve member for controlling said inlet, means responsive to level of liquid in said casing and operatively connected to said valve member for normally moving the latter to regulate the flow of fuel into said casing, and mechanism mounted on the underside of said cover and including a member extending through the opening therein for shutting off flow of fuel into said casing upon abnormal rise of liquid therein, said mechanism being removable with said cover without disturbing said valve member and liquid level responsive means operatively connected thereto, and said member being arranged to reset mechanism without removing said cover after said mechanism has operated to shut off flow of fuel into said casing.

' WALTER M. SIMPSON. 

